19 March, 2024

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Whither Sri Lanka? – A Post Script 

By Gamini Dullewe

Judging from criticism and queries on the article submitted, Whither Sri Lanka? I have been prompted to write this ‘post script’, to explain some of the issues raised and also suggest a way out of the impasse, the country face today, in the hands of a corrupt political system. There were some who raised the issue, why I had not delved to find the origins of the Sinhalese with the Sinhabahu Myth. My concern was only to show, the commonly believed myth, that the Sinhala race commenced with the landing of Vijaya and his retinue of seven hundred men is not the beginning of the Sinhalese race in this country. Vijaya was not a Sinhalese and he could not have fathered this Sinhalese nation. I believe if one is interested in the subject, to find the origins of the Sinhalese race, should refer to Prof. Raj Somadeva of the Post Graduate Institute of Archeology at Kelaniya, who is the ideal person to enlighten on the matter, as he has done some extensive field research. I hear, he believes that this story of the arrival of Prince Vijaya and the Kuweni story, as a mythical exercise to give credence to the fact that the Sinhala race commenced from then on. According to Prof. Raj Somadeva there had been Sinhala Buddhists in this country much before the advent of Vijaya, as Buddha is supposed to have visited during his time and served sermons. Then the myth that Mihindu Maha Rahathan thero brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka on a Poson Poya day too become fictitious as mentioned in Mahawansa by Priest Mahanama. Be that as it may, coming down further in the History of the country, there were many who tend to believe that the British did divide and rule before our Politicians, took it to the extremes and still continue doing so.  Had the British resorted to, I believe they would not have done so openly, as done by our own Politicians today for certain. 

As a prelude to find a way out of the present impasse to the conflict, I like to revisit History to the period of King Parakrama Bahu (1153 – 1186) to illustrate how the Buddhist priests of the Theravadha order occupying the Mahaviharaya had conflicts with the Mahayana Order residing at the Abhayagiri Viharaya  and how King Parakrama Bahu resolved matters then. The King had de- robed the priests in both Abhayaramaya and the Jethavanaramaya and a large number at the Mahaviharaya also. Thereafter the King had given the choice to the monks to either return to lay life permanently or to be re-ordained again as novice monks in the Mahaviharaya order. Therefore History is replete with precedence where unruly Buddhist priests have been dealt with and de-robed in the past, although recently when Gnanasara was running amok, some Buddhists in the country with a section of the Sangha took up cudgels, that once a person is ordained, no one, not even the State has the right to de-robe him. What a load of rubbish they spewed, as if an act of sacrilege had been committed when Gnanasara was put behind bars. Therefore the time is rife once again for the State to discipline the Buddhist Priesthood without allowing them to run riot by spewing hatred, killing people and burning property. The media, time and again had displayed, how Buddhist priests have been threatening Police Officers in uniform in the most disparaging manner and how our pious Buddhists and the Chief Prelates turn a blind eye. It is a clear case of the Priests taking advantage of the robe they wear, believing they are above the Law, expecting the Buddhist laity to save them. These are the Buddhists who are concerned about Buddhism and come forward to protect Buddhism in the country at the drop of a hat. At the same time we also have seen on media, how Buddhist priests being baton charged and seen running for dear life with their robes tucked. The behavior of these militant monks, seen by the world outside are the ones who bring disrepute to Buddhism and degenerate the faith of many who hold Buddhism in high veneration.  

I believe the time has come to summon the chiefs of all clergy, of all Religions and sound to them, that the State will no longer foster any Religion and will only provide the facility for them to continue their religious work without hindrance to other faiths and the society as a whole. This message should be made loud and clear that none are above the Law and the Laws of the land will equally apply to any who violate, irrespective of one’s standing whether clergy or laity. I know it is easily said than done but if we fail to, where our society will end, is not something difficult to fathom, as we all can foresee. There are Buddhist priests in other countries as well, but there are checks and balances for their behavior in public and not let lose as here, allowing them to go scot free. 

Religion is a personal issue and all should take note that, it should not be taken as a tool to reap benefits for one’s self or for the community he/she represents. Please look around and you will see that the whole country has contributed to this madness of hoisting Religion to reap benefits publicly, that has led the Clergy of all Religions to take the upper hand on all matters relating to social issues. This I believe has led to the present impasse where the Religious sects, finger all matters of state, where the State alone should take decisions, but are unable to as they have played politics with all the Religions. If one were to look around, all are guilty as everyone displays their faiths openly for others to identify them, in their person, in their vehicles or the houses they own. Therefore I humbly request to all, please keep Religion to yourself and do not make a mockery of it, by advertising publicly as you too have contributed to the turmoil the country faces today. Further please avoid in trying to drag others for what you believe in and allow each to decide their own destiny.    

I have often wondered why so many young boys are ordained as Samaneras, with a lot of fanfare and publicity under Political watch, whether we are short of Buddhist priests in the country? I personally do not think so. Anyway that is not a matter that I would want to touch as long as there are the willing, let them become Buddhist Priests. As for myself, I certainly have had no particular interest or use of the Buddhist Priests, as I learned about Buddhism from my parents and at school and forced to sit for the GCE O/L as a subject to have obtained a credit pass. Thereafter I realized the futility of parrot repeating Pansil for every religious occasion and I refrained blindly following the rest. Instead I started to live by the five precepts, without flouting the precepts every now and then, as others do. As I grew up, I realized that the bulk of the Buddhist practices performed in the name of Buddhism, was made to cater to the Buddhist Priests, to sustain them. Their behavior in general was not compatible with the hallowed preaching’s of the Buddha carrying mobile phones, engaging in Politics and political demonstrations. I distanced myself from the Priests as much as possible and if I could have avoided, I did. I remember once visiting an alms giving of a very close relative, I was entrusted the task of dropping some Buddhist priests who had come for the alms giving. While driving them back to the temple which was a couple of miles away, I started the conversation inquiring from them, whether Buddha had performed Pansakula on the dead during his time? To wit there was no reply. I broke the silence and explained that this business of Pansakula has a history of around 500 years to the time the Portuguese arrived here and started to bury their dead using coffins and a funeral service of saying prayers. Before that, what was practiced here, how the dead were disposed was by wrapping the body in cloth and mat, tied to a bamboo and leave it in the woods for the elements to take care of, as part of nature. The jungle areas, where bodies were disposed such, was known as ‘Amusohonas’. This was how the dead vassals were disposed in the country.

The elite and the Buddhist Priests then had their own cemeteries where the bodies were not buried but placed on ground and monuments built over the body, towering over ground. Such tombs are still in existence at temple premises and elsewhere in the country. In addition some of the dead also had been cremated in pyres, as was commonly practiced then continuing to date. The practice of burying underground in a coffin with a religious ceremony, commenced with the advent of the Portuguese and continues to date.  It is only after the Portuguese commenced that the Buddhist Priests have adopted performing the Pansakula, as a Religious rite and now it has become custom of the Sinhala Buddhist’s, for priests to be in attendance to perform the final rites for the dead. So the Buddhist clergy has a good hold on all the Buddhists, for their services, irrespective of one’s standing in society. When I explained one of the priests listening to what I said, told me that there will not be any priest to perform Pansakula for me, the day I die.  I politely told him that I have left strict instructions with my children not to offer me Pansakula, as I do not believe nor need the blessings of some unknown priests, wishing me Nirvana.  I have further instructed my children not to offer alms in my name in seven days, three months and annually, as I strongly believe that merit cannot be transferred to the dead. If one argues that merit can be transferred to the dead, then similarly another can transfer demerit also to the dead in that case. The ‘Pin and Pou’ (merit and demerit) are two sides of the same coin I believe. The present practice of many who earn money by illegal means and leaving it behind for the family to offer massive tamashas of almsgivings to transfer merit to the dead, is only a ruse for the priests to prey on the gullible public.  

The plethora of problems the country face today are the very creation of  our own, due to our foolishness and continue to squabble with each other not allowing anyone to do well in life. Come pogroms, people kill each other, loot and burn property, the life time earnings of families. This has resulted, the society we live in, to simmer in hatred, jealousy, and anger and commit all the villainy, although everyone is highly religious as displayed to the outside world to identify their leanings. Therefore the myth that the Clergy and the Politicians try to infer that the villainy committed in society, is all due to the lack of religion and attempting to pour more religion, down the throats of the society should be stopped forthwith. Once again I repeat, please leave religion alone for the greater good of society to prosper. 

If and when we become successful to remove the thorn of religion from our midst, there will be better harmony among all, to reach a better standard of living for everyone in this society. Is this not what we yearn for, in our life time? Who cares for the manmade differences that the Clergy of all religions thrive to keep the masses suppressed for their own advantage?  This will also rid the corrupt from governance, that is prevalent today, as they will not be able to sell religion to the masses and scratch each other’s back, between politicians and the priests, riding the high horse. Truly the masses then of this country will be emancipated and liberated from the bondage and the shekels placed on society today in the name of Religion. Now the issue is who will bell the cat?  Obviously judging from the present lot who are in governance, I find it difficult to name any particular person who has the stature to do the job so I will leave it to the masses to decide.

After formulating rules and regulations for all in the country to be treated as equal citizens, Communal Politics should be dispensed with. No Political party being allowed to campaign on communal lines. The Tamils have to fall in line, giving up homeland theories and for all to consider the whole country to be everyone’s home. I like to conclude this article by citing, two true stories in real life of what happened to a Tamil and a Sinhalese family who were ardent chauvinists in their own way. There was this Tamil gentleman who was the fund raiser for the LTTE in NY during the height of LTTE waging war here. His only daughter subsequently married a Sinhalese living in NY. Then there was another rabid Sinhalese who was an absolute Sinhala chauvinist. His son later got married to a Tamil girl. Both parties are known to me personally.  Today the families are living happily, without prejudices that put them asunder in the past, when they fought each other before. I believe the solution lies to the ethnic problem in inter-marriage more than the reconciliation proposed by other parties.  It is better to enjoy the life you have now, with dignity rather than be divided to prepare for life after and make the world a living hell for all. 

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Latest comments

  • 9
    1

    “I believe the solution lies to the ethnic problem in inter-marriage more than the reconciliation proposed by other parties”
    I don’t agree with the above statement. I am not against to inter-marriage between Sinhalese and Tamils or Sinhalese and Muslims or Muslims and Tamils. for example,Thirukumaran Nadesan an influential businessman is the husband of Parliamentarian Nirupama Rajapaksa who is a niece of President Rajapaksa but Mahinda Rajapakse use anti-Tamil and anti-Muslim propaganda to come to power. The marriage did not change Mahinda Rajapakse. Similarly Vasudeva’s children married to Chief Minister of NPC. But Vasudeva is against devolution and Wigneswaran is for pro-devolution. It is the political opportunism that makes the problem. SWRD is the first one proposed a devolution as a solution but changed to get Sinhala votes and brought Sinhala only policy. The fundamental problem is politics combined with race, religion and language. Many countries including India, China, USA, UK found a way to resolve ethnic problems through devolution but Sinhalese politicians will not allow to happen that because they can’t do political opportunism without this problem.

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      CT readers
      Here is something that we chose to ignore.
      watch this interesting social experiment :

      https://www.facebook.com/APISRITM/videos/190689208236351/


      How generous we are to poor people.

      • 8
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        Credibility of Raj Somadeva is questionable as he is biased. Good example of this happened during recent unearthing of mass grave in Mannar. He was deliberately drafted to that in order to cover up the truth. When an ancient ring was found he immediately announced that these bones belong to an ancient time and not to the present. It is only when a Maliban Biscuit tin was unearthed that he became silent. He is still there and is waiting for an opportunity to distort the truth. He has stated that he wants to re-write history that Sinhala race is much older than what is now believed to be, and there were Sinhalese in Sri Lanka long before Vijaya and his friends landed, and is trying to link Veddhas to Sinhalese. In two recent genetic studies, it was found that genetic input from Veddhas into Sinhalese is only 29%, while their core genetic material is south Indian. Until now by carbon dating it is said that earliest inhabitant (Balangoda man) is 60,000 years. There may have been humans before that as bones of ancient humans found in Tamil Nadu has by carbon dating assigned to 150,000 years. But these are not Sinhalese as what he is trying to claim. Sinhala in written form is only 1300 years old according to stone inscriptions unearthed in Sinhala The script was taken from Malayalam which evolved from Tamil at the same time. Sinhala in spoken form cannot be more than 2000 years which has evolved from Elu (proto-Tamil), Tamil, Sanskrit and Maghadi (precursor of Bengali). Absence of Sinhala language made Bhikku Mahanama to write Mahavamsa in Pali. A better person to get views on Sinhala language and Buddhism is Sudharshan Seneviratne as he has an open mind.

        • 6
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          The word Sinahala is derived from the ancient Tamil word Chingkalam . The Pali/Prakrit version and has nothing to do with lions tigers or anything relating to the big cats. One of the words widely used to describe the island from the ancient times. Meaning the land of copper , copper coloured or red. Chem/Chepu meaning red or copper. Alam means a piece of land When you join thee words it becomes Chingkalam . Just like Cheralam or Keralam , Puttalam or Puthumathalam where all the fighting took place in May 2009. The Dravidian Naga/Yakka population of the island speaking the local Tamil dialect Elu were called Chingkallavar. Chinkallavan for a male or Chingkallathi for a female. From the classical Tamil word Alavan and Alathi. Sri Lankan Tamils still use these terms. These ancient Chingkallavar were Dravidian Naga and Yakka who spoke the local semi Tamil or Tamil dialect called Elu and have nothing to do with modern Sinhalese people or the Sinhalese language or Buddhism. These people were Saivites. That the original modern Sinhalese started to evolve from these ancient Tamil Chingkallavar after many of them converted to Buddhism and what is now called Sinhalese . Elu+ Prakrit or Maghadi Prakrit = Hela or old Sinhalese. Eezham is also another ancient Tamil word for the island, meaning the land of toddy hence Era in Tamil or Ra in Sinhalese or metal hence Iyam in Tamil meaning sheaf of metal or Illama in Sinhalese meaning vein of metal. The population were also called Eezhava or Eelavar Meaning people of Eezham or Elu speakers. Hence the Eezhava of Kerala. A people supposed to have migrated to modern day Kerala from the island during prehistoric times and closely associated with toddy tapping. All this land at one time ,was part of ancient Tamil Chera Nadu. Hence Cherantivu > Serendib> Ceylon.

          • 1
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            History revisionism that too illgical is an integral part of Tamil nationalism. Any one with knowledge on linguistics will unerstand Sinhala cannot come from Chinkalam but rather the other way around.

            Ironically Tamil was a word invented by the Sinhalese to call the Tamils

            • 4
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              I know people like you are the creators of this land into worlds ever best technologically, scientifically, economically, culturally developed nation. what an invention Tamil was an invention of Sinhalese. You should be awarded with many Nobel prices for this invention.

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              No it came from part human part lions with special lion blood( Sinhale) roaming around the island , destroying everything. Today, almost everybody seems to have taken it for granted that the word Sinhala stands for a particular ethnicity in the island and for the language they speak. An irrational mythology fabricated at a later time when the original etymology was lost, that Sinhala means descendants of a lion (Siṅha) and thus means the ‘lion race’ has pervaded the minds and hearts of the people for centuries. Most of the ethno-national identities of South Asia have in fact originated primarily from geographical identities. Such identities later stood for who ever inhabited those lands and eventually stood for the languages evolved in those lands. (Identities of classical languages like Tamil and Sanskrit don’t come under this pattern).For examples note terms like Paagnchaala /Panjab (land in between five rivers), Karu-naadu / Karnāṭakā / Kannada (country of black tract of land); Malayaa’lam / Malai-a’lam (hilly tract of land) etc.The Sinhala identity is not an exception and there is no unambiguous evidence that the word either stood for ethnicity or language in the early usages of the word. When the new language evolved from the local Tamil dialect Elu, it took the name of the place if evolved from . Chingkalam or it Pali version Sinhala. The language of Chingkalam.

              • 1
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                RSS, be a nice guy and add something about Arabic too. And make it spicy by making it insulting. No, I need not say that. It is like telling a fish go and get a Pohottuwa, but take the watery path. There is no other path the fish knows except a watery one. And there is no other type of comment that RSS knows except the insulting one.

                .

                I am sure to get double for my counter comment. Go boy Go!

            • 3
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              sach

              What are you doing in this forum where serious discussions are taking place? Go change into your nighty and switch off the light. The carer will be there to tuck your sheets in.

          • 1
            4

            And Demala is derived form Dennama Mala.

      • 2
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        NV
        Thanks for the most interesting video.

        By the way, the purpose of all my comments is to convey the following message, thanks to the present writer:

        “After formulating rules and regulations for all in the country to be treated as equal citizens, Communal Politics should be dispensed with. No Political party being allowed to campaign on communal lines. The Tamils have to fall in line, giving up homeland theories and for all to consider the whole country to be everyone’s home. “
        Is it being racist to hold this opinion, as you always accuse me of? Is campaigning against racism racism?
        Soma

        • 2
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          Soma,
          “After formulating rules and regulations for all in the country to be treated as equal citizens”
          No more Dalada-worship for politicians? No seats in buses for clergy? Meat and liquor for anyone who wants on Poya days? No political rights for clergy? 20 % of the Forces and civil service reserved for minorities?
          You really mean it? You really want another Southern rebellion?

        • 4
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          Soma homeland concept is accepted in international laws which Sri Lanka has to conform. This is the basis on which Bangladesh, states of former Yugoslavia, East Timor and South Sudan became independent.. To dictate to Tamils to give up their homeland amounts to rank racism. Whole country can be everyone’s home, but lands belonging to Tamils have to be ruled by Tamils according to their wishes, where Sinhalese can live as law abiding citizens. The demand for Tamils for their own rule arose because of the Sinhala atrocities not only through violence but also through legislative and executive means. Claiming lands by wilful changing of demographic pattern by large scale settlement of Sinhalese and ethnic cleansing of Tamils is not permitted in modern world. Altering the outlook of Tamil villages by changing names to Sinhala amounts to cultural genocide. With the Sinhala settlers came Sinhala officials and Buddhist priests who subsequently drove off Tamils who were present from ancient times. In fact though these settlers were portrayed as economic migrants, but in reality they were political migrants planted to dispossess Tamils of their traditional lands. Sadly this is continuing despite protests from Tamils that when thousands of Tamils displaced by are not being settled in their original places Sinhalese from outside the provinces are being planted. Demanding ones legitimate rights does not make him a racist, if so Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King are all racists. In contrast denying legitimate rights of others make one a racist, by which yardstick Sinhalese like you fall into that category. So if you are sincerely going to campaign against racism please direct it to Sinhalese.

          • 1
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            Thanks Dr Sankaralongam, the moment you define the boundaries of the Tamil homeland the rest of the island becomes Sinhala homeland. That will entail physical relocation of all Tamils (Tamil speaking people ) into the Tamil Homeland. Tamils have to choose between a separate homeland OR the right to live anywhere in the island. If you are really serious about a Tamil Homeland you must initiate a campaign encouraging Tamils to voluntarily move there from now on in order to avert a potential Rohingya situation.
            Soma

          • 1
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            There is no law that says that diasporic communities, like the Tamil community in Sri Lanka has a right to carve out separate states in other people’s countries. International law lay more weight on the territorial integrity of established states and also if you have a case in the international court, they will first try to see whether there are any alternative land which the Tamils could be relocated before they break up Sri Lanka. Tamil Nadu the Tamil homeland is just across the sea and that will be the place where the Tamils will be relocated to rule and whine and cry all you want. This island is the island of the Sinhalese, and you have absolutely no right to break up pieces of it and start restricting Sinhalese from settling in this area. According to international law, there is also a clause where historical injustices can be remedied. So don’t provoke the Sinhalese into seeking remedies in international law to reclaim the north and east where the Tamils invaders have chased away the Sinhalese a few centuries back. The vast majourity of the Sinhalese want the Tamils live here, but peacefully as equal fellow citizens. So stop whining about ethnic issues and start doing something for the country and show that the Tamils want to live peacefully and prosper here together with the Sinhalese.

    • 1
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      I agree with Ajith. MIX MARRIAGES between communities bring nothing. Because, when the MIX Marriages happen, the powerful party, in terms of wealth and politics take control of the domination. In the case of the GOVIGAMA MAFIA GANGSTER (Brethren of the Ruling Elite cabal) – Mahinda Rajapakse, his political power and his power to MURDER ANYONE, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE takes precedence over anybody moving into the GOVIGAMA MAFIA INNER CIRCLE, by any means, have NO SAY in Freedom of Expression or Any desire but will be subjected to the STRICT BLIND ADHERENCE to the MASS MURDERING, DIVIDE & RULE Govigama Hegemonic AGENDA. Just look at the AMARAPURA Mahanayake Mafiosi is doing right now…… They are HAILING the services of the SUPER CRIMINAL/SUPER RACIST Champika Ranawaka for the “SERVICES TO THE BUDDHA SASANA with their version of a title called “Shasanabhimanya Janaranjana Deshabandhu”. This reward is given to him for his ANTI MUSLIM/ ANTI TAMIL pogroms he organized and operated through the state with flying colors………… This is EPIC blunder of the so called the Buddhism, the “GREATEST PHILOSOPHY” as they always claim it to be, which is failing in its own followers to inculcate the UNIVERSALITY of its teachings as espoused by the Great Buddha himself. This is a clear indication that the GOVIGAMA MAFIA has been successful in WEAPONISING THE BUDDHISM which will be further used in 1000% folds when they bring GOTA the GOTLER the MOST EVIL PRESIDENT ever created by them.

  • 4
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    Your stupid statement “Vijaya was not a Sinhalese and he could not have fathered this Sinhalese nation.” shows your arrogant ignorance of the story of our nation.

    For your information, Vijaya came to Sri Lanka as a Bengali prince and he was not a Sinhalese then. It was he who amalgamated the nation with a new language that comes from Bengali, and later the influence of Buddhism that formed our nation. Idiots can’t understand this truth and minorities wreckers try to distort this basic truth.

    Halfwits like you should also note that from 3BC to 15th century AD, the Sinhala nation produced a culture and civilisation that was unmatched anywhere in the ancient and medieval worlds. No nation had thought about documenting their history beginning from 4th century like Mahavamsa did.

    Dimwits like you, rotting in the filth – the so-called western scientific enlightenment (they wouldn’t know enlightenment if they were knocked over by it!), haven’t got enough intelligence to appreciate the achievements of the Sinhala Buddhist civilisation that flourished until the Portuguese Jewish vandals arrived in the 15th century.

    We are now trying to resuscitate this grand culture. Minorities with vested interests are trying to undermine us again, using pseudonyms like Ajith.

    But remember, we shall prevail.

    • 8
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      Social Reader

      “It was he who amalgamated the nation with a new language that comes from Bengali, “

      I am sorry bear with me I am neither educated nor intelligent like you in fact I am bit thick.

      How did he amalgamate the nation with a new language given the size of the island being 65,610 km²?
      Are you sure he was a Bengali speaker?
      Did he have enough linguists to “amalgamate” Bengali into the new nation?

      Please read:

      The Bengali people speak dialects of Bangla—as they call the Bengali language—which belongs to the Indo-Aryan group of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family.

      The Bengali are of diverse origin, having emerged from the confluence of various communities that entered the region over the course of many centuries. The earliest inhabitants of the region are believed to have been the Vedda from Sri Lanka. Later the Vedda were joined by Mediterranean peoples who spoke Indo-European languages. In the 8th century peoples of Arab, Turkish, and Persian descent began to enter the area. Eventually all these groups merged to become the people now known as Bengali.
      https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bengali


      “Halfwits like you should also note that from 3BC to 15th century AD, the Sinhala nation produced a culture and civilisation that was unmatched anywhere in the ancient and medieval worlds. “

      What is special about culture and civilisation that was unmatched anywhere in the ancient and medieval worlds?

      “No nation had thought about documenting their history beginning from 4th century like Mahavamsa did.”

      How about Ramayana (begining 5000 years ago), Mahabharata (3000 years), Thiruvilaiyadal puranam, Sanathana Sarathi the Timeless Charioteer, Kambaramayanam, ….. Yalpanavaibavamalai, Harappa history writen in old Tamil, …………

      • 8
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        Social ignoramus,
        “Halfwits like you should also note that from 3BC to 15th century AD, the Sinhala nation produced a culture and civilisation that was unmatched anywhere in the ancient and medieval worlds”
        That’s a rather tall story. Are you saying that this 2nd rate clerical culture was greater than anything in India, China, or the Middle East?
        The Sinhalese never invented any scientific device, had no mathematics, no music to speak of, and no public constructions to compare with the Parthenon, the Great Wall, the Taj Mahal, or even Angkor. Which rock have you been living under?
        Sinhala “culture” is a minor offshoot of the much greater Indian culture, in terms of religion, history, and language.

      • 6
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        The Bengali despite speaking and Indo Aryan language are largely a people of Dravidian or Dravidian/Mogol or Dravidian/Australoid origins. There is very little Indo Aryan in them. The Dravidian/ Australoid element is the single largest element in all Indian ethnic groups even in the Punjab but they all down play it and claim everything else. It is time the encyclopedia Britannica update its findings instead of still publishing outdated theories belonging to the 1920 , that have been now proven wrong or revised with modern research/ This is the reason 99% of the Indian or South Asian look very similar to each other. in features despite the variation in skin colour. You get the typical sort of Indian look , which is basically Dravidian or Dravido Australoid. Due to various invasions and migrations along the wester and northern areas , the population in these areas are more hybridised compared the population living along the eastern and southern parts of India. However the core genes and DNA is the same. Dravidian/Australoind or Munda. When you live in the west you can see how 99% of the Indians Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis look far more similar to each other than to others. Even Iranians. This is because they are basically Dravidian. Most people from my own caste/community will not be willing to accept this truth.

      • 0
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        This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

    • 6
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      Social Reader

      You seems to be an expert on Mahawamsa, did you manage to read the original Pali version? Why was it written in Pali and not in Sinhala(supposed to be the language of a people of culture and civilisation that was unmatched anywhere in the ancient and medieval worlds.?

      And by the way if Mahawamsa is your bible do you believe your ancestor 2600 years ago was an animal a lion and you blood is not just human blood but Sinha Le?

      I know who I am therefore you don’t need tell me who I am.

    • 6
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      “But remember, we shall prevail.”

      Yeah albeit like Dr. Arliss Loveless or Dr Strangelove.

      “We are now trying to resuscitate this grand culture.”

      So that the crooks can siphon off large chunk of the national wealth and annual budget.

      “Minorities with vested interests are trying to undermine us again, using pseudonyms like Ajith.”

      Of course you are right, the noisy Sinhala/Buddhist fascist minorities has been undermining the rest of the people since 1956. Take care if you are not one of them.

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        This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

        • 3
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          Anti-Social Reader

          Brilliant riposte.
          Thanks
          Keep up your good work

    • 1
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      The mahavansa is a myth – the vijaya story in a carbon copy of the Odessey written a good thousand years before the mahavansa

  • 6
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    Notwithstanding the British way of Divide and Rule, since 1956 Sri Lankan politicians from all parties have mastered their own style of Divide and Rule. At present politicians will use Race, Religion, Caste, and whatever else they can find to Survive by means of Divide and Rule. One has to look at the Insurgencies in the South, War in the North, numerous Race Riots since 1956 , destructions to places of Religious worship, to see the role of politicians in each and every one of these blackmarks in the history of the country. God save Sri Lanka.

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    Walawwa rebel it seems. How about those who made money off of the Tooth of the Buddha Temple with perks, government issues houses and cars which started under the UNP only and by 2 people, you may know no? No one before that was entitled to an official bungalow or cars or perks. How many people got rich from being DN? Suddenly it has become an ugly garish place with gold statues etc which have NOTHING to do with Buddha’s teachings. Vulgar Mahayaana opulence by famous people very well known to you no?

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    Mr. `Social Reader` , Have you ever heard of the great Greek historians: Herodotus(484 – 478 B.C) who wrote` Persian Wars`, Thucydides(471 – 455.B.C.), who wrote Peloponnesian War, Xenophon (430 – 354 B.C.) who wrote Anabasis and Polybius(220- 130 B.C.) who wrote universal history? Or about the great Roman historians Josephus, Livy, Tacitus, Suetonius ?Or atleast heard about Reverend Bede`s history of the people of Britain?Read man, read. Read sensibly. Mahawansa is not history in modern sense. we certainly accept that there are some important historical facts also recorded in it. But, the chronicler Mahanama Thero compiled a story of kings – particularly to eulogize those who supported the Saasana, especially fattened the parasitic Sangha of the Mahaa Vihaara. Some stories recorded in Mahawansa stand no second to Baron Munchaussen`s stories in mendacity! The story that the Buddha visited Sri Lanka may be believed only by gullible fools like you! The one who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a …PATRIOT in Sri Lanka!

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      Diogenes,
      “Baron Munchaussen`s stories in mendacity”
      Mendacity? Diogenes, I think you need to dumb down your vocabulary when dealing with half-educated “social readers”.

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    Gamini Dullewe
    Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. The thoughts are rational and one lives in hope that the present mindset will change.
    .
    Our lives are dominated by corruption/nepotism/impunity. This has reached mega level and is bordering on the giga. Was this engineered by cunning politicians.
    Did the language/religion-divide create our present predicament?
    .
    Lankan Buddhism and Hinduism survived 500 years of colonial rule. Are the self-styled protectors causing more harm?

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    When Western Countries give prominence to Christianity, the guys who say that all religions should have equal status in Sri Lanka do not open their mouths. Germany even has a special tax to support Christian Church. When ‘Para Suddas’ do it no problem, but when Sinhala Buddhists, who are the majority in the country want to maintain the tradition that prevailed before colonial parasites arrived, it becomes a big issue. When British ruled Sri Lanka, English was the official language; Christianity was the official religion; Union Jack was the national flag; British National Anthem was the national anthem in Sinhale; car number plates had English letters. At that time Demalu had no problem.

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    Mr. Dullewe your first article was good but not the second. Sorry that so called archeologist trying to state that a people called Sinhalese Buddhist lived older than 2500 years before the arrival of Mythical Prince Vijaya is bullshit. Buddhism it self is around 2500 years old. Modern Sinhalese only came into existence around 7 AD and prior to that it was evolving from the local Tamil dialect called Elu and the Pali/ Maghadi Prakrit and Sanskrit of Buddhism. He is trying to mix up and deliberately associate modern Sinhalese , with one of the ancient Tami words for the island Chingkallam meaning the land of copper/copper coloured or red and the name given to these semi Tamil Elu speaking population in the island Chingkallavar. The Pali/Prakrit version of this name is only Sinhala ( nothing to with lions) . Similarly the Pali/Prakrit version for another ancient Tamil name for the island Eezham/Eelam is Hela and it local Tamil dialect Elu mixed with Prakrit was called Hela or old Sinhalese , that was very close to its Tamil mother. All these claims to imagined antiquity is like the modern Slavic Macedonians making claims to ancient Greek Macedonia( Macedonia in Greek means mountainous land) or modern Islamic Indo European Pakistanis , who never acknowledge their predominantly Dravidian ancestry, making claim to ancient Dravidian Indus civilisation. Or modern Arabic speaking largely Muslims now stating , Prophet Moses took the ancient Hebrews from the Arab Islamic republic of Egypt. The modern Sinhalese trying to make claim to ancient Tamil Chingkallam and the Chingkallavar is as absurd as this. They may be descended from them but their language identity and religion is different. Just like in Pakistan , Egypt or Macedonia. It is the Sri Lankan Tamils who have just claim to these ancient people as their identity and religion has not changed not the modern day Sinhalese. Lastly Tamil people have every right to self determine and call for their own nation.

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      Contd: There an ancient nation in the island who had continuously occupied the northern eastern and north western coast and ruled their own lands until European colonisation. No one can deny this right from the them and it is enshrined as per UN . Just like the Scots and others have a right to their own nation and to self determine. It is only Sinhalese racists and chauvinists who state there is no such thing as a Tamil homeland , as there was and is. Even after large scale Sinhalese colonisation of their lands . They make up ,more than 90% of the Northern province and are the largest community in the east and Tamil is the majority language in all three districts in the east not Sinhalese. People have a right to live anywhere , as long as they use their own funds to purchase lands and build business but a government has no right to ethnically cleanse Tamils of their lands in the name of Sinhalese Buddhism and settle Sinhalese on these ethnically cleansed lands to deliberately change the demography, like it has happened in Amaprai and the Kantalai area in Trincomalee. If you treat us with dignity and ensure our rights language and culture area protected in our areas under a proper federal system. where our rights to our lands on our historical lands are recognised with land police rights given, as protection from further state sponsored Sinhalese colonisation . The cry for a homeland or nation hood will not cease.

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        RSS, dis you see Ranil giving land to the estate Tamils? That was a noble gesture. These hardworking people have contributed immensely to the national economy fro centuries, but have not got fair treatment from the government.

        .
        I got my free education from KG to University and where did the money come from? It came form the, blood, sweat and tears of these people and I will be indebted and grateful to them for that as long as I live .
        .
        The same cannot be said about the Kallathoni invaders of the North who, at every opportunity, throw insults at all institutions held with respect by us and claim everything for themselves. Their allegiance has always been with foreign countries and institutions. Some of them are pretending to be intellectuals. But they are simply unwelcome and illegal immigrants.

        My boyhood hero, Muniyandi, was a better human than any of these invaders. While the Kallathonis have been dirtying up our country, hard working Tamils like Muniyandi have been cleaning up the mess by them and making it livable for us.

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    Hi Gamini
    I fully agree with your views. Start with the Priests/Monks disciplining and then the Corrpt Politicians
    Why don’t you become the President of SL?

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    A Jaffna Kingdom existed long ago.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaffna_Kingdom#Religion

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    Shiva Shankar ShARMA,

    Do not bark like a dog with all the wrong facts and if you do not know the real facts about the history, do not come on this forum and make comments like a Racists thugs. Besides, it is not a surprise that Tamils who have come to Sri Lanka as Pluderers, Smugglers,Slaves, Kallathonies, captured during invasion do not know about the history. Everybody knows who fought against Portugese, Dutch and British when they occupy Sri Lanka where portughese and Dutch brought Tamils from Tamilnadu to work in their Tobacco cultivation and Tea estates respectively as SLAVES.
    In fact, Tamils as a whole siding with colonial powers to get benefits rather than fighting with them.

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      Oh yes and all those low caste Tamils imported into the island from South India by the Portuguese and Dutch, to do menial service jobs or to work as Cinnamon peelers all became Sinhalese , most probably your ancestors. It is because of them that the Sinhalese population in the island doubled within a few centuries, as all these low caste Indian Tamil slaves/indentured labour converted to Buddhism and Catholicism and gradually became Sinhalese , just like the rest of the South Indian invaders and immigrants before them. Very few of these low castes were settled in the Tamil areas. This is the reason present day Sinhalese share a 70% DNA with Indian Tamils , compared to the Sri Lankan Tamils only sharing 17% DNA with Indian Tamils , is because most of the so called Sinhalese of today are basically Indian Tamil immigrants , ancient to modern , who have converted to Buddhism and taken on a Sinhalese identity. Now they are all beating the anti Tamil drum against the indigenous Tamils. Even the British . just like the Portuguese and the Dutch before them, settled the Indian Tamil estate labour in the Sinhalese areas , as all the economic activity was there. This is the only group that has maintained its Tamil identity so far. All other South Indian immigrants over the centuries , never merged with Sri Lankan Tamil identity , despite sharing a common language and religion. This now includes the Colombo Chetties and the Bharatha ( Paravan) living along the western coast. The reason is 1) The invasions ,immigrations and settlement swere concentrated along the so called Sinhalese south 2) The Strict Hindu caste system did not allow the native Sri Lankan Tamils to assimilate outsiders much. Even if they spoke the same language and followed the same religion . They were still largely considered as outsiders.

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    Whatever it is no homeland for Tamils here and no special problems for tamils in Sri Lanka and therefore, no separate state, federalism or elam in Sri Lanka for Tamils as it is the country belonging to Sri Lankans where Majority is Sinhalese as a race and the Majority is Buddhist as a Religion and accept it and live as this is the reality.

    We do not want any reconciliation with Racists thugs, But, reconciliation among Sinhalese, Tamils already there genuinely heart to heart and definitely not to the terms of so called Tamil political leaders and other Racists thugs.

    So called Tamil political leaders genuinely concerned about well being of Tamil masses for their day to day living, they shall join hands with other races to fight for common problems of Sri Lankans rather than wasting time for fanciful slogans for non-existing problems with unrealistic demands as solutions.

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    Whatever it is no homeland for Tamils here and no special problems for tamils in Sri Lanka and therefore, no separate state, federalism or elam in Sri Lanka for Tamils as it is the country belonging to Sri Lankans where Majority is Sinhalese as a race and the Majority is Buddhist as a Religion and accept it and live as this is the reality.

    We do not want any reconciliation with Racists thugs, But, reconciliation among Sinhalese, Tamils already there genuinely heart to heart and definitely not to the terms of so called Tamil political leaders and other Racists thugs.

    So called Tamil political leaders genuinely concerned about well being of Tamil masses for their day to day living, they shall join hands with other races to fight for common problems of Sri Lankans rather than wasting time for fanciful slogans for non-existing problems with unrealistic demands as solutions.

    If you claim the tamils converted to Buddhist and Sinhalese, the balance Tamils in the present day is also can do the same if they want and we welcome you as well because they all become Sri Lankans where they start thinking as Sri Lankans and Living as Sri Lankans.

    We have no problem if you stay as Tamil, but no separate state or elam or federalism under any circumstances.Do not ever think that it is going to happen.

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    Siva Sanakran Sarma’s posts are like reading badly written science fiction. His arguments are thoroughly flawed and nothing makes sense. He is desperately trying to explain away the existence of the Sinhalese people and presenting nonsensical theories spiced up with most obnoxious etymologies and non-existent meanings for the word Sinhala, to lay claims to this island in addition to actually laying claims to the Sinhalese identity and language itself.
     
    I hope people understand the lunacy in what SSS has written. He is basically telling that it is the Tamils who were called Sinhalese (“Chingkallavar” ) and accusing the Sinhalese people of “trying to make claim to ancient Tamil Chingkallam and the Chingkallavar” !!! Flawed and fictitious as his theory and claims are, he cannot explain how and when the Tamils ended up speaking the same language as Tamilnadu, and why they are called Tamils and not “Chingkallavar”.
     
    SSS is too dumb to see that his bogus theory is actually proving the completely opposite of what he wants; his bogus theory is actually an acknowledgement of the immense antiquity of the Sinhalese people (“Chingkallavar”) and the Sinhalese language (“Chingkalam”), regardless of the fake Tamil origin he tries to give the Sinhalese language. His bogus theory is also an admission of the fact that there are no historical evidence for an indigenous people called Tamils or a language called Tamil here and that neither the Tamils nor their language evolved here. He himself says that the “Chingkallavar” spoke Elu, which evolved into Sinhala. However Elu is ofcourse just another form of Sinhala language, i.e Sinhala language without Sanskrit and Pali loans, which was first defined only after 800 AD and not any Tamil dialect as Siva Sankaran Sarma claims.

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    There’s absolutely no need for the Sinhalese to prove the antiquity or the indigeneity of their ancient existence in this island as a people peculiar and endemic to this island can only come into being if they had evolved here, and this evolution can be studied in the historical times starting from the 3rd century BC, by thousands of inscriptions first in Sinhala Brahmi upto about the 600AD and then in the Sinhala script. For all the shouting Tamils are doing there isn’t a single cave, rock or stone inscription in Tamil until the Chola inscriptions post 11th century AD.
     
    Tamils do not have an indigenous presence here, and therefore cannot pass off their immigrant nature as being indigenous however many fake nonsensical theories they fabricate. Everything Tamil evolved in Tamilakam and was brought here by Tamil immigrants. This is not a fact that can be denied, if you deny this, that means you deny the true Tamil identity and Tamil history. Tamil history and also the Tamil territory is very well documented through the Tamil literature where the boundaries of the Tamil country (Tamilakam) is defined and maintained for over 2000 years. The southern border of the Tamil country is Cape Comorin. No point trying to scold Sinhalese or bash Mahavamsa, because what is said in the literature of Sinhalese people is very well corroborate and proven in Tamil literature itself.
     
    Although SSS claims that there was no Sinhalese language or people before 7th century, Tamil literature itself proves the opposite as this island is called the country of the Sinhalese and in the Solladikaram of Tolkappiyam where rules about how to handle loanwords from foreign languages are given, Sinhala is mentioned as one language, and one Sinhala word is mentioned.
    http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=tamillex&query=Sinhalese&matchtype=exact&display=utf8

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    Siva Sankaran goes to great extent to deny the immigrant nature of the Tamil settlements in this island. Since he is constantly talking of castes, he should know that the caste system of the Tamils is the biggest give-away as it is the exact same as in Tamilnadu. Even the names of the sub-castes of the largest Tamil caste the Vellalars who constitute half of the Tamil population reveal the immigrant nature of the Tamil settlements as take their names after the area in Tamil Nadu they migrated from. Some subcastes of Vellalar of Jaffna are as follows:
     
    Solia Vellalar – present day Tanjore and Trinchinopoly
    Pandi Vellalar – present day Madurai and Tinnevelly
    Chera Vellalar – present day Kerala
    Kongu Vellalar – from old Kongu country present day districts of Coimbatore and Salem
    Karala Vellalar – probably Kerala
    Kondai Vellalar – named after the peculiar way they tie their hair
    Karkatha Vellalar – Pandya Vellalars known as the Karkattas or Karai katus, a territorial sub-division from Karai Kadu.
     
    Not only the caste names reveal the area from which the Tamils migrated here, also the different dialects can be traced to the different areas of Tamil Nadu from the socalled “Eelam Tamils” had migrated from.
     
    All of the available historical evidence show that the permanent Tamils started coming up here only after the late 13th century and that the Sinhalese were driven away from the north where the Tamils settled.

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